Walmart de México y Centroamérica to use wind power to operate 348 stores

Mexico City, May 6, 2010 -
Walmart de México y Centroamérica announced that starting today 348 of its self-service stores, pricing clubs, and restaurants in Mexico City, State of Mexico, and Morelos, will use wind-powered energy* from “Oaxaca I Lamatalaventosa Wind Farm”, located in Oaxaca.

“The Oaxaca I Lamatalaventosa Wind Farm is one of the projects that will enable Walmart de México y Centroamérica to meet its objective of having 100% of its units operate with renewable energy sources by 2025. It should be noted that this farm supplies wind energy to more points throughout our country than any other of its kind, providing great environmental benefits such as reducing CO2 emissions into the atmosphere by 137,000 tons, which in turn is tantamount to taking 21,000 vehicles off the roads" explained Scot Rank, Executive President and CEO for the company during the opening ceremony.

In attendance during the official “Oaxaca I Lamatalaventosa Wind Farm” opening ceremony were Georgina Kessel, Secretary of Energy; Alfredo Elías Ayub, General Director of the Federal Electricity Commission; Francisco Javier Salazar, President of the Energy Regulating Commission; and Thomas Müeller, Director of Electrica del Valle de México; plus other important government officials, and executives and associates from Walmart de México y Centroamérica.

Scot Rank thanked the Energy Ministry and the Federal Electricity Commission for their support in turning the operation of the “Oaxaca I Lamatalaventosa Wind Farm” into a reality.

The “Oaxaca I Lamatalaventosa Wind Farm” works thanks to a supply partnership between Electrica del Valle de México and Walmart de México y Centroamérica, with the latter supplying, installing, and implementing the project. The farm is located at La Ventosa, Oaxaca. It has 27 2.5 MW turbines, that is, almost double the capacity of current turbines which enable them to generate a total of 67.5 MW.

Energy will be transported through Mexican Electrical System channels; hence the Energy Ministry and the Federal Electricity Commission were instrumental in the implementation of the project.

The “Oaxaca I Lamatalaventosa Wind Park” is part of Walmart de México y Centroamérica’s commitment to sustainability, which includes generating zero pollutant water discharges by reducing, reusing, and recycling waste and packaging, and expanding the assortment of environment-friendly items.

Walmart de México y CentroaméricaWe contribute towards improving the quality of life of Mexican and Central American families

*In Mexico, we have not retained the Renewable Energy Credits (REC) associated with our wind and solar purchases. As the global renewable energy and REC markets evolve, Walmart continues to examine REC and other environmental attribute retention, sales and purchases across our global markets to better understand and implement best-in-class, conservative approaches that not only have environmental integrity, but also speed the scalability of emerging clean technologies globally such as wind and solar.